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Abu Dhabi [UAE], May 13 (ANI/WAM): The inaugural Special Olympics Gulf Badminton Competition - Abu Dhabi 2024, concluded with an awarding ceremony, held at Khalifa University.
The event, held between May 9 to 12, was organised as a collaboration between Special Olympics Middle East and North Africa and Special Olympics UAE. Abdullah Al Nubi, Special Olympics Oman, secured the gold medal in the men's competition in Division One; Hassan Ali Al Blooshi, Special Olympics UAE, secured the gold medal in Division Two, while Mahmoud Ghaloum, Special Olympics Bahrain, topped Division Three. In the women's competition, Shahad Abdullah, Special Olympics Saudi Arabia, won gold medal in Division One, while Sheikha Al-Hindi, Special Olympics Kuwait and Zakia Ahmed Abbas, Special Olympics UAE, secured the gold across Division Two and Three, respectively. In the double competitions, Abdullah Al Noubi and Fawaz Faraj, Special Olympics Oman, won gold for Division One, while Hassan Ali Al Blooshi and Zayed Ali Al Kaabi, Special Olympics UAE topped Division Two. In the women's doubles competition, Zakia Ahmed Abbas and Zuleikha Ghareeb Al Mansouri, Special Olympics UAE, took the gold. Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of the SOUAE, said, "We were pleased to host six Special Olympics delegations from across the Gulf and feel proud of the success achieved by the Special Olympics Gulf badminton competition, which was organized for the first time and hosted by the UAE. I congratulate the medal winners, even though I believe that the real win was in the meeting of these athletes that proved that with determination and persistence, we can achieve miracles." Al Hashemi added: "I extend my thanks to all Special Olympics UAE partners for their valuable contribution to the success of the competition, especially Special Olympics Middle East and North Africa, the World Badminton Federation and the Emirates Badminton Federation, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Khalifa University, who have been instrumental in this success. We look forward to more competitions that contribute to the inclusion of PODs into their communities and promote sports in general." Delegations from Special Olympics programs in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE participated in the competition, which was hosted by the UAE for the first time. On the final day, the winners were awarded and honored by Mohammed Al Nuaimi, member of the Board of Trustees of the Special Olympics UAE and Special Olympics UAE is preparing for the next World Winter Games, which will be hosted in Turin, Italy, from March 8 to 16, 2025. More than 2,500 men and women athletes from around the world are set to participate in Turin 2025. (ANI/WAM)
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